" Small talk is an art in the Michigan U.P., since most things that happen here are small. Long silences are okay, too. Most of what’s said will be said again tomorrow. The weather, gardening, and the no-good federal government are all good topics, interspersed with pauses and throat clearings. It’s our way of life. "

― Deb Baker , Murder Grins and Bears It (Gertie Johnson, #2)